What is Leadership?

The person who leads or commands a group, organization or country.

Present Pakistani leaders raise slogans for transforming the nation but they look people like pygmies, insects, etc. The Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi walked around 18 km a day for nearly 40 years. from 1913 to 1948, he walked 79,000 km – equivalent to walking twice around the earth. He travelled a lot in third class railway apartments. But Pakistani Leaders never walked in public and they are candidates of the seat of Prime Minister.

Similarly, Mao Zedong travelled over 6,000 kilometers in long march to create political awareness in people. His struggle reflects china’s fascinating Marxist transformation. China’s metamorphosis to present day status was not straight path transition. It witnessed several cataclysmic changes. It was a turbulent period in lives of political elites and also global status of the country.

Mao Zedong born in 1893 went to Beijing in 1918. He worked for some time in Peking University’s library. There he became associated with Li Dachau and Chen Duxio, Co- founders of Chinese Communist Party, and became a Marxist.

On September 21, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed to world;

“Our nation will never again be an insulted nation.”

Communist Manifesto was first translated into Chinese around 1899. many strands of Marxism were involved in overthrowing King dynasty. Following Chinese nuclear explosions, USA and USSR even mulled option to strike at Chinese Nuclear Installations. During the early years 1950-54, the government embarked upon campaign to uplift social vices. Brothels in Beijing were closed and prostitutes and procurers were arrested. Gambling apparatus were confiscated. Mao’s wife shared Mao’s vision of empowerment of young people and their promotion to party positions.

He envisioned an ideal party of workers, peasants and soldiers. This vision was in stark contrast with Leu Deng’s vision of a party of intellectuals, technocrats, religious leaders, overseas Chinese and former capitalists.

Mao’s Cultural Revolution, from 1964 to 1976 was no bed of roses. during 1964-66, intra-elite transformation was in a state of flux. 1966 witnesses mass mobilization. During 1967-69, an imaginary May 16 conspiracy led to arrest of two sands of leading radical figures; 25 of 29 first party secretaries were sacked. Lin Biao became Mao’s closest and heir apparent. He masterminded a plot to assassinate Mao, fled towards Mongolia in an airplane and was killed in air crash. Period 1968-76 was marked by demobilization, place intrigues, popular anxiety and subsequent reforms.